Frostburg (4-5, 2-5 E8)
vs.
Salisbury (5-4, 4-3 E8)

Saturday, Nov. 15
Bobcat Stadium - 1:00 pm

Frostburg Game Notes
Live Video/Stats
 

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Setting the Scene
Frostburg State hosts Salisbury this Saturday at 1:00 pm in the 16th Annual Regents Cup game. Saturday's game will be senior day for eight FSU seniors and the contest marks the regular-season finale for both schools.

The Bobcats sit at 4-5 overall on the season after defeating both Geneva (24-19) and Shenandoah (20-10) in their first two contests. Frostburg knocked off 25th-ranked Ithaca on Homecoming in double overtime (38-37) and downed Hartwick, 35-21, two weeks ago.

The Sea Gulls are currently 5-4 overall after a three-game winning streak in October. Salisbury, 4-3 in the Empire 8, defeated Brockport, 40-28, in its final home game of the season last Saturday.

The Series
Saturday's matchup between the Bobcats and Sea Gulls will be the 42nd meeting as the two schools have met every year since the series started in 1973. SU leads 25-16 and has won the last 10 meetings.

It's A New Day
DeLane Fitzgerald was named Frostburg's 13th head football coach following a national search in January 2014. Upon his arrival at Frostburg, Fitzgerald quickly filled out his coaching staff and began recruiting his first class. He also set about raising the team's G.P.A. through new study hall rules.

On the field, Fitzgerald has Frostburg off to a 4-5 start. The Bobcats defeated Geneva (24-19) and Shenandoah (20-10) in their first two games before upsetting 25th-ranked Ithaca on Homecoming in double overtime (38-37) and downing Hartwick (35-21) two weeks ago.

Fitzgerald came to Frostburg following an eight-year stint at Southern Virginia in Buena Vista, Va., including the last five seasons as head coach. Prior to his arrival, SVU averaged just two wins per season and after his fifth year, Southern Virginia finished 8-2 and was ranked No. 1 in the United States Collegiate Athletic Conference coaches' poll.

Fitzgerald also has coaching stints at Bethel University (Tenn.), Tennessee-Martin, James Madison and the Bridgton Academy (Maine).

Frostburg Football History
Frostburg is in its 54th year of collegiate football in 2014 and the Bobcats have an overall record of 239-273-8. The Bobcats appeared in the 1993 NCAA Playoffs and have played in seven ECAC Bowl Games, the last coming at Bobcat Stadium against Moravian in 2005.

Prior to joining the Empire 8, FSU competed in the Atlantic Central Football Conference for 12 seasons from 1999-2010, capturing league titles in 1999, 2003 and 2004.

A Win Would ....
- Lift the Bobcats to 240-273-8 overall
- Be the first five-win season for Frostburg since 2005
- Snap a 10-game losing skid to rival Salisbury
- Give Frostburg its fifth Regents Cup trophy
- Be FSU's third win at Bobcat Stadium this season
- End the playing career's of eight seniors with a victory

Empire 8 Update
All nine Empire 8 football schools opened their 2014 seasons with a week-one victory. Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, No. 23 Ithaca and No. 24 St. John Fisher sit atop the league standings at 7-2 overall. Ithaca captured the league title last Saturday after defeating SJFC, 19-8.

This Week In The Empire 8
All nine Empire 8 teams are in action in week 11 of the 2014 football season and eight schools are in conference play. St. John Fisher travels to Alfred, Utica visits Hartwick and Buffalo State will travel to Brockport for the I-90 Bowl Game. Frostburg hosts Salisbury in the 16th Annual Regents Cup and Ithaca will visit Cortland for a non-conference showdown.

Ithaca at Cortland - Noon
St. John Fisher at Alfred - 1:00 pm
Salisbury at Frostburg - 1:00 pm
Utica at Hartwick - 1:00 pm
Buffalo State at Brockport - 1:00 pm

Empire 8 Preseason Poll
The Frostburg State football team was picked to finish ninth in the 2014 Empire 8 Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll released in late August. St. John Fisher received eight of the nine first-place votes along with 64 points and was picked to win the league title. Salisbury (53 pts.) and Ithaca (52 pts.) round out the top three.

The Coaches
Fitzgerald hit the ground running following his hire at Frostburg State and he quickly filled out his staff with some of the nation's top coaches. Tye Hiatt (OC/QB), John Kelling (DC/LB) and Peter Mayer (ST/DB) will serve as the Bobcats' coordinators. Joining them are Ben Crowder (RB), Sam Daniels (DT), Pete Hansen (DE), Angelo Luvara (T/TE), Nate Sievers (OL), Tyler Condiff (Asst. LB), Kenny Johnson (WR), Tyler Stevens (Asst. WR), Dernard Bryan (Asst. OL), Victor Andersen (Asst. DB) and Tim Arnold (Asst. RB).

Preseason All-American
Frostburg has had several players named Preseason Division III All-Americans by USA College Football over the last few years and this summer junior linebacker Rowan Pinkett was named to the preseason third-team defense.

Pinkett had a breakout season last fall after leading the Bobcats and finishing fifth in the Empire 8 with 104 total tackles. For his efforts, he was named to the All-Empire 8 Second Team. He averaged 10.4 tackles per contest and finished with 10 or more tackles in five games.

Pinkett picked up in week one where he left off a year ago, finishing with 12 total tackles, one tackle for loss with a forced and recovered fumble against Geneva. Those numbers earned him both Empire 8 and ECAC Northeast Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Following nine games, Pinkett leads the Bobcats and is sixth in the league with 74 total tackles. He is also tied for the conference lead with three recovered fumbles.

Behind Enemy Lines
Following nine weeks of the 2014 season, sophomore defensive end William Sewell is tied for second in the conference with 11.5 tackles for loss. He is second with 8.0 sacks. Two weeks ago, Sewell was named Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week after making nine tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in FSU's win over Hartwick.

Secondary Force
After forcing a pair of fumbles against 25th-ranked Ithaca, Bobcat junior defensive back Salaman Riddell is second in the Empire 8 with three forced fumbles on the season.

I'll Take That
The Frostburg State defense has generated 12 turnovers in eight games this season, six fumbles and six interceptions.

Where The Bobcats Rank
Blocked Kicks - 6
    - 12th in Division III
    - First in the Empire 8

Junior DL Roland Kamara
    - Ranks 17th in the nation and leads the Empire 8 with two blocked kicks

Junior LB Rowan Pinkett
    - Ranks seventh in Division III and leads the Empire 8 with three recovered fumbles

Sophomore DL William Sewell
    - Ranks 28th in Division III and second in the Empire 8 with 0.89 sacks per game

Calling the Signals
Senior Ken Emmons enters the final game of his career as Frostburg's starting quarterback. After starting the last three seasons, Emmons is sixth in school history in passing yards (3,894), touchdowns (23), completions (303) and attempts (633). He has also added 905 rushing yards with 13 touchdowns.

Through nine games, Emmons has accounted for 1,307 yards in total offense and 13 touchdowns.

On The Horizon
Frostburg State University, along with Christopher Newport University, Salisbury University and Wesley College recently agreed to become associate football members of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) beginning in the 2015-16 academic year. In addition, Southern Virginia will be an affiliate member of the NJAC starting in the fall of 2014 and will elevate to associate member in 2015-16.

Frostburg State currently competes in the Empire 8 as an affiliate football member and will begin its fourth season of competition in the league this fall (2014). The other associate football members, like FSU, compete primarily in the Capital Athletic Conference; the CAC does not sponsor football.

With the addition of the five schools in 2015-16, the NJAC will increase its football membership to 10 institutions, including full-league members Kean University, Montclair State University, Rowan University, The College of New Jersey and William Paterson University.

Last Time Out
Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014     -     Frostburg 35, Hartwick 21

ONEONTA, N.Y. – Seniors Ken Emmons and Ben Sasu each ran for two touchdowns and Frostburg State rallied for a 35-21 victory over Hartwick in Empire 8 action, Saturday.
 
After trailing 14-7 at the break, Frostburg exploded for 28 points in the second half, including 21 in the fourth quarter. Sasu ran for two touchdowns to open the final stanza and Emmons connected with junior wideout Myles Burgess for a 32 yard touchdown pass as the Bobcats grabbed a 35-14 advantage.
 
"Winning on the road versus a good team is a testament to the young men in this football program," said Bobcat head coach DeLane Fitzgerald.
 
Frostburg totaled 314 yards in total offense and ran for a season-high 230 yards. The Bobcats held the ball for 33:13.
 
"Our offensive line paved the way for a great day of running the football," added Fitzgerald.
 
Emmons accounted for 183 yards in offense behind 88 rushing yards on 16 carries with two rushing touchdowns. He also threw for 84 yards (9-of-18 attempts) and one score. Sasu nearly hit the century mark with a 99-yard effort on 17 carries with two touchdowns, both in the fourth.
 
Emmons ran for a one-yard run early in the second half, but the Hawks (2-6, 2-4) carried a 14-7 lead into intermission. John Garcia found Brad Garcia for a 59 yard scoring pass in the first and Billy Pine scored from a yard out.
 
Following an Emmons two yard scoring run midway through the third quarter, the Bobcats took control for good with three-straight scoring drives to open the fourth quarter. Sasu opened the final stanza with back-to-back scores. At 14:42, Sasu ran in from 11 yards out and on the ensuing Bobcat drive, he scored a 29 yard touchdown as Frostburg surged to a 28-14 cushion. Burgess capped the afternoon's scoring for FSU with a 32 yard TD reception from Emmons.
 
"Today's second half was our best half of the year," said Fitzgerald. "We executed on offense, defense and special teams."
 
John Garcia, who ended the day with 275 yards passing and two scores, tossed his final scoring pass of the day with 4:15 to play to pull the Hawks to within 35-21.
 
The Bobcat defense also did its part in the win, holding Hartwick to 36 yards rushing on 27 attempts. Frostburg also sacked Garcia six times. Sophomore William Sewell led the way with eight tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Classmate J.R. Lowery added six tackles with two tackles for loss and one tackle.